Channel adapted chiefly to protect a pipe line conveying electricity,gas or water



Jan. 7, 1969 R. H. BRuGGl-:R ET AL 3,420,017 CHANNEL ADAPTED CHIEFLY TO PROTECT A PIPE LINE CONVEYING ELECTRICITY, GAS 0R WATER Filed Nov. 21, 1966 .Il Q

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ORNEY United States Patent O 3,420,017 CHANNEL ADAPTED CHIEFLY TO PROTECT A PIPE LINE CONVEYING ELECTRICITY, GAS OR WATER Roger H. Brugger and Erwin E. Salvisberg, Geneva, Switzerland, assignors to Erwin Salvisberg, Geneva, Switzerland Filed Nov. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 595,970 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Nov. 30, 1965,

U.S. Cl. 52--221 6 Claims Int. Cl. E04b 5/48; E04f 19/06 ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE It is well known that channel members may be embedded in the walls of a building for protecting in particular various ducts, such as those conveying electricity, telephone communications, gas or water. Such channels can be provided in a sidewall, a floor or a ceiling.

In known structures of this type, the channels are either conspicuous and consequently unaesthetic or else concealed, which leads to difficulties as concerns the connection between the conveying lines or pipes and the structure of the building. It has also been proposed to embed in the concrete layer cast over a slab, channels formed by a shaped metal section having a rectangular outline, which shaped section is adapted to enclose power and telephone lines. Whenever a current intake is to be provided after the channel is finished, it is then necessary to form a hole through the coat covering the surface, through the concrete layer enclosing the channel and through the wall of the latter, in order to reach the electric or telephone wires. The invention has for its object the provision of a practically invisible channel embedded in a structure which is of a simple construction and may be opened readily at any time, so as to allow modifications in the electric connections or the like operations.

The invention provides a channel adapted chiefly to enclose at least one carrier for electricity, gas or water and including a trough-shaped sectional member. According to the invention, the open side of the shaped sectional member is substantially flush with the surface of the wall, said open side being adapted to be covered by at least one element carrying one section of a magnetic coupling, the other section of which is carried by the shaped member.

The accompanying drawings illustrat-e diagrammatically and solely by way of example two preferred embodiments of the invention. In said drawings:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a channel embedded in a concrete layer according to a lflrst embodiment of the invention.

FIG. .2 is a sectional view of a shaped sectional magnetic member adapted to close the channel illustrated in FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of the improved channel.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is provided a concrete layer 1 covering a slab 2 of which the upper surface is uneven; inside said layer is embedded a shaped sectional member 3 ICC defining two parallel channels 4 and 5 separated from each other by a partition 6 the upper end of which is forked, so as to form two upstanding flanges 7 and 8. Said two flanges form together a shaped anchoring member inside which it is possible to slidingly engage a nut, so as to rigidly secure, if required, comparatively heavy parts such as electric plugs to the member 3.

The shaped member 3 is provided with four parallel rail-shaped edges the cross-sections of which are T-shaped. Said projecting edge sections illustrated at 9, 10, 11 and 12 are each capped by a shaped member 13 enclosing a strip 14 of plastic magnetic material.

FIG. 2 shows, on a larger scale, the cross-section of said shaped member 13 embedding the strip 14. The shaped member 13 is obtained through extrusion over the magnetic strip 14.

The closing of the channels 4 and 5 is obtained by a cover constituted by an iron plate 15 coated with a floorcovering sheet 16 made of plastic material. Said floorcovering sheet 16 is flush with the plastic floor-covering sheet 17 laid over the concrete layer 1.

The iron plate 15 is attracted by the magnetic strips 14 which hold these covering means 15, 16 in position over the shaped member 13. The removal of such covering means may be obtained readily by means of an energetic permanent magnet or better still of an electromagnet which is laid over the plastic floor-covering sheet 16, so as to attract the plate 15 with a force which is much higher than that produced by the strips 14.

Of course, the closing of the channels `4 and 5 may be provided by means of a single plate extending throughout the length of the channel 5 or else by means of several plates located in alignment. In the latter case, when one plate has been raised by means of an electromagnet, it is an easy matter to remove the other plates in succession, simply by lifting them by hand.

One or more members closing the channels 4 and 5 may be provided with an opening 18 through which a lead may pass to ensure a connection between a cable 19 extending inside the channel 5 for instance and a plug 20. The latter is secured by means of a screw 21 passing through an opening 22 in the closing member previously preferred to and held by a nut 23 fitted in a shaped anchoring member formed by two inturned flanges 7 and 8 rigid with the partition `6.

In order to further the positioning of the nut 23 with reference to its anchoring flanges, said nut is carried by a spring 24 bearing against the transverse bottom of the anchoring flange, so as to urge the nut 23 against the edges of said flanges 7 and 8. The nut 23 comprises a small square or rectangular plate provided with a tapped hole and the upper surface of which is provided with a rib adapted to be -tted in the gap between the flanges 7 and 8. Thus, the plate `forming the nut may be inserted obliquely into the gap between the edges of the flanges 7 and 8 against the pressure exerted by the spring 24 after which it is released so as to remain enclosed within the outline of the anchoring member against the flanges of which it is urged by the spring 24.

-In the example illustrated, it "has been assumed that the channel 5 was used for carrying the feed cables from the mains. In addition to the cable 19 which may serve electric lighting purposes, it may carry other cables such as those illustrated at 25 for distributing current intended for producing power or heat.

The channel 4 may serve for instance for carrying low voltage leads, such for instance as telephone wires 26.

This arrangement of two `channels arranged side by side allows resorting to a single type of metal plate 15 provided with an opening 18 which may register at will with the channel 4 or with the channel 5 according to the direction in which the plate is laid on the shaped member 3.

In order that the shaped member 3 may be perfectly ush with the capping cover 1, said shaped member is carried throughout its length by a series of screws 27 screwed in tapped sockets 28 set in the carrier slab 2. Such sockets may be easily positioned, `for instance by means of a suitable tool such as a plugging gun, which :allows driving the sockets into the slab without it being necessary to previously bore holes in the latter.

The screws 27 resorted to carry two peripheral flanges 38 and 38 between w-hioh may be tted corresponding horizontal flanges Vforming part of angle members 29, which tlanges are each provided with a slot engaging the cooperating screws and opening at the end of said iianges. Each angle member is secured to the shaped member 3 by a screw 31 engaging a nut 32 fitted in a shaped anchoring member 33 forming part of the member 3 outwardly and laterally thereof. Said nut 32 is designed in a manner similar to the nut 23 which ensures positioning of the plug 20 and it is also associated with a spring 34 holding it fast d-uring the insertion of the screw 31.

The shaped member 3 being thus secured by means of the screws 27, its position may be easily adjusted by screwing the screws 27 in their socket 28 to the desired extent. Thus, it is an easy matter to make the shaped member 3 enter a perfectly horizontal position throughout its len-gth, possibly in the same plane as other shaped members to be embedded in the same surface. After adjusting the position of the shaped member, it is possible to cast the concrete layer 1 until its upper surface is flush with the upper surface ofthe shaped member.

In the modified embodiment illustrated in lFIG. 3, the channel illustrated is treble; in other words, it includes three parallel longitudinal compartments; such an embodiment differs 'from that illustrated in FIG. 1 through the fact that the shaped member comprises several juxtaposed longitudinal sections 3a, 3b, 3c. The sections of the shaped member adjacent with each other such as 3a and 3b are secured together by a connecting member 39 including two shaped parts 41 and 42 which are adapted to be urged towards each other by the screws 43, so as to clamp between said parts the cooperating adjacent edges of said sections 3a and 3b of the complete shaped member.

The connection between the sections 3b and 3c of the complete shaped member is obtained similarly by means of a similar connecting member 39.

The connecting element 39 may be a shaped member of metal or of plastic material. The upper section of said connecting element `forms an anchoring member similar to that provided the flanges 7 and 8 in lFIG. 1. This larrangement ensures a rigid securing of elements such as connecting plugs to be connected with leads or -wires housed in the different compartments formed by the shaped member.

The connecting element 39 is provided at its upper end with a terminal T-shaped flange 39a. The sections 3a and 3c are also provided each with an outer wall terminating with a T-shaped edge section which serve the same purpose as the projecting edge sections 9 and 12 of the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1. All these T-shaped upstanding edge sections serve as supports for the shaped members 13 made of plastic material and enclosing the magnetic strips 14 Ifor to holding in position the cover which, a sin the case of the first embodiment, by an iron plate 15 over which is laid a floorcovering sheet 16.

In said second embodiment the compound shaped member 39, 3a, 3b, 3c is carried by screws 27 and angle members 29 in the manner described with reference to the first embodiment.

Obviously, in those embodiments wherein the channel includes several basic channels or compartments, the separating elements or partitions are not necessarily provided with magnetic coupling means, as illustr-ated for the two embodiments described. -As a matter of fact, the partitions separating the compartments may merely form bearings for the cover or they may even be slightly spaced with reference to the latter.

Obviously also, numerous modifications may be brought to the arrangements described and the magnetic closing means may, of course, be constituted as well by small metal magnets. The permanent magnets or the magnetic strips 14 may, in fact, be rigidly secured to the means closing the channel and cooperate with iron parts incorporated with the shaped member 3. Said shaped member may, of course, be constituted by an iron sheet, but it may as well be made of shaped aluminum or of a synthetic resin.

The channels illustrated are embedded in a floor but, obviously, they may also be embedded in a wall, the channel extending horizontally, vertically or in any direction as may be required. Similar channels may be provided in ceilings. Obviously also, it is possible, according to requirements, to resort to shaped members forming one or two parallel channels or more.

Preferably, the sheet 16 covering the plate 15 matches the sheet 17 covering the adjacent surface. When said surface is a wall, it should be mentioned that said plate may be readily coated with wall paper.

Obviously, the means closing the channel do not necessarily include a homogeneous iron plate 15 and they may be constituted by non-magnetic material incorporating iron parts registering with the magnetic strips 14.

Obviously also, the channel need not necessarily be embedded in a wall or the like surface and in certain cases it may be laid on the ground or even it may be carried by suspensions means. It may also be used for various purposes and, instead of enclosing electric leads or gas or water pipes, it may enclose any other arrangements such as one or more conveyor bands.

We claim:

1. A channel adapted to house fluid-conveying means comprising a gutter-shaped member, a cover for said member, magnetic couplings between said member and cover, each including two parts carried by the guttershaped member and the cover respectively, that part of each said coupling carried by the cover comprising a mass of iron and that part of each said coupling carried by the gutter-shaped member comprising a strip of plastic material and a permanent strip-shaped magnet embedded in said plastic material, said gutter-shaped member provided with upper longitudinal edges of enlarged width over which the corresponding plastic strips are fitted.

2. A channel as claimed in claim 1, adapted to be secured to a hard support, including at least one shaped anchoring member rigid with the outside of the guttershaped member and screws removably carried by said anchoring member and adapted to be screwed into said hard support.

3. A channel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guttershaped member includes a plurality of longitudinal sections extending side by side and forming the bottom of the gutter-shaped member and intermediate upstanding partitions interconnecting said longitudinal sections, subdividing the gutter-shaped member into separate housings and carrying the corresponding coupling parts.

4. A channel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the guttershaped member includes a plurality of longitudinal sections extending side by side and forming the bottom of the gutter-shaped member and intermediate upstanding partitions interconnecting said longitudinal sections subdividing the gutter-shaped member into separate housings and carrying the corresponding coupling parts.

5. A channel as claimed in claim 1, comprising at least one longitudinal partition subdividing the guttershaped member into separate housings and further magnetic couplings including parts carried respectively by said partition and by the cover.

6. A channel adapted to house uid-conveying means comprising a gutter-shaped member, a cover for said member, magnetic couplings between said member and cover, each including two parts carried by the guttershaped member and by the cover respectively, said guttershaped member including a plurality of longitudinal sections extending side by side and forming the bottom of the gutter-shaped member and intermediate upstanding partitions interconnecting said longitudinal sections subdividing the gutter-shaped member into separate housings carrying the corresponding coupling parts, each intermediate partition cornprising two associated vertical longitudinal parts, and means clamping said vertical parts together over the cooperating edges of the longitudinal sections adjacent thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 11/ 1922 Tashjian 52-221 X 3/1937 Lewin 52-221 10/ 1962 Reiland 52-221 X 1/1963 Seidel 52-221 3/ 1966 Baermann 335--303 X FOREIGN PATENTS 2/ 1963 Great Britain.

ALFRED C. PERHAM, Primary Examiner.

U.S. C1. X.R. 

